Other Headlines

County budget worsens
MONTESANO — Additional unpaid furloughs and layoffs may be needed as the county budget woes continue to grow, commissioners said Monday.

Commissioner Al Carter proposed extending Thanksgiving and Christmas closures to an entire week, with the additional time off by county employees unpaid to cover the growing shortfall.

The county’s budget forecast continues to decline as incoming tax money — such as forest excise tax revenue, which has dwindled to nothing — continues to decrease, while expenses grow.

Commissioners are facing some $262,000 in pending requests from various county departments for additional money beyond what was budgeted.

New tax approved
MONTESANO — County Commissioner Al Carter spoke emotionally of friends and family who have suffered or died due to mental illness or addiction before voting Monday in favor of a new tax to fund programs for people with mental illness and drug or alcohol addiction.

“This is a community problem … and it affects everyone,” Carter said. The current model of “incarceration and punishment” is broken and needs to be replaced with “help and compassion,” he said.
That’s just what the new tax is meant to provide. Commissioners Terry Willis and Mike Wilson joined in support of the tax. It is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.

The tax will add one-tenth of one percent to sales tax levied in the county, bringing the total sales tax to 8.5 cents per dollar. The new mental health tax amounts to a dime on every $100 spent in the county, or 50-cents on a set of $500 tires, Carter said.

Charges in OD death
ELMA — A former Elma-area woman pleaded not guilty this week to charges that she supplied the prescription drugs that killed Elma teen Austin Burrows.

Burrows, 18, was found dead in his bed April 1 by his father. Brenda J. Zillyette, 43, now of Aberdeen, was arrested last Friday on a charge of controlled substance homicide. She pleaded not guilty Monday morning. As of Sept. 23, she was in custody on $100,000 bail.

The coroner’s report determined Burrows died from an overdose of the heroin-replacement drug Methadone. He also had traces of the anti-anxiety drug Alprazolam (Xanax) and muscle-relaxant Clonazepam, according to charging documents.
An investigation by the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office determined most, if not all, of the fatal drugs allegedly came from Zillyette, Undersheriff Rick Scott said.

Discussion of Lake Sylvia, Schafer future
MONTESANO — Flooding at Schafer State Park is a problem, improving trails and camping opportunities, keeping things the way they are, dredging the muck out of Lake Sylvia and building better bathrooms were among the suggestions people shared for Lake Sylvia and Schafer state parks.

State Parks officials began the Classification and Management Plan (CAMP) process for the two parks Tuesday evening at Montesano City Hall. About 50 people attended what is to be the first of three public meetings.

“It’s wonderful to have this level of engagement from the beginning of the process, which I’ve never had before,” said Brian Hovis, state parks planner. Some planning efforts have had as few as three people participate, he said.

Parks officials presented a brief overview of the parks and planning process before collecting written suggestions from attendees.

More Sports

Bulldog football throttles Rockets, 43-0
CASTLE ROCK — Montesano has outscored its opponents 74-0 in their first two games. Last week they issued a shut out to Elma, this week it was Castle Rock suffering a 43-0 loss at the hands of the Bulldogs in a non-league football match-up Friday, Sept. 11, at Castle Rock.

Muller wins his first title
ELMA — Josh Muller of Montesano was able to hold on to a slim lead in the Shipwreck Beads Modified point standings and earn his first season title thanks to a feature win during Season Championship night at Grays Harbor Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 12, in Elma.

Monte girls sweep Forks
MONTESANO — Dishing out more than they took, Montesano opened up home and league play with a sweep of Forks in a 1A Evergreen League volleyball matchup, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19, Tuesday, Sept. 15, at Bo Griffith Memorial Gymnasium.